


Something there (that wasn't there before)

by tinyarmedtrex



Series: BLM Commissions <3 [5]
Category: IT (Movies - Muschietti), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Beauty and the Beast AU, Bill is my fav choice tho, Eddie as the Beast, M/M, Richie as Belle
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-13
Updated: 2020-09-09
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:34:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,227
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25233208
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinyarmedtrex/pseuds/tinyarmedtrex
Summary: When Richie's father is taken by the evil beast that rules the land he knows that he's the only one who can get him back. But what happens when the Beast asks Richie to take his place?A beauty and the beast AU
Relationships: Eddie Kaspbrak & Richie Tozier, Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier
Series: BLM Commissions <3 [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1810261
Comments: 43
Kudos: 110





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [AnomieWrites](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnomieWrites/gifts).



“You have to go, you have to help him.” Maggie pled for the third time, clasping Richie’s hands tightly within her own. Her green eyes looked up at him, a perfect reflection of Richie’s own. 

“Mom, I can’t. I-” 

“Please Richie, you’re the only one who can. You know how he gets. He wanders, he doesn’t pay attention. You’re so much like him.” She raised a hand to his chin, cupping his face. 

It wasn’t fair. Richie wanted to wrench his head away, to refuse, but knew he couldn’t. For once he couldn’t think about himself. This wasn’t about him. It was about his family. His father had been taken by the foul beast that ruled the land and Richie was the only one who could get him back. No one in the village would risk angering the beast and his mother couldn’t make the trip. 

The family needed Went far more than it needed Richie, he was smart enough to know that. He was at an age where he should have been gone, married to a nice merchant’s daughter and starting his own family but he just couldn’t leave them. It didn’t help that everyone in the village thought he was too much, too loud and crass. Everyone in their small village thought he was odd, an outsider, and no one wanted Richie as a part of their family. 

So he has stayed with his parents, helping his dad with his odd inventions and his mother with her laundry business. It was a good life, one he was happy to wake up to every day, if not exactly fulfilling. 

And now there was this. His father had been missing for nearly a week and Richie could see the toll it was taking on his mother, and on their pantry. 

“Richie, please, go plead our case. Tell the beast that your father didn’t mean to trespass. I’m sure he’ll listen to you. You’ve always had a silver tongue.” 

Maggie was still holding onto Richie’s face, her eyes begging him to agree. After a long beat, he nodded and instant relief covered her face. 

“I’ll go, Ma. I’ll bring him back.” He had no idea how but he had to, whatever the cost. 

She let out a long breath, pulling him into a hug. “Bring yourself back, too. I need both my men back safe.” 

He nodded, barely able to breathe in her strong embrace. But that was how the Toziers were. The only people they had were each other and they held onto that tightly. 

After that, he wasted no time in setting out. They lived on the far edge of the small village and it would take nearly a day to reach the Beast’s castle. Richie didn’t want to ride in the dark. He also knew that the longer he waited, the more nervous he’d become. He had to do this now, before he talked himself out of it. 

“Hello!” Richie called as he entered the stables. “I need to rent a horse!” His father had taken the only one they had and there was no way Richie could make the journey on foot.

“Finally running away?” Someone drawled behind him. He stiffened, knowing immediately who it was. 

“My business is my own.” He replied, turning to see Henry, the town’s hunter and, by some people’s measure, it’s hero. He was well loved for the stories he told and the riches he brought back. Richie had always suspected it was all a lie but he would never say it. Not when Henry had so many admirers and he had so few. 

Henry’s eyes danced over him, taking in Richie’s travelling cloak and his bag. “Finally running away? Are you rejecting my proposal then?”

Richie scoffed. Henry had come around more than once, saying that Richie always had a place at his tavern as a server. Richie hated how Henry’s eyes travelled over him as he spoke, like he was expecting Richie to serve more than drinks.

“I rejected it years ago.” He bit back, heaving a sigh of relief when the stable owner finally appeared. 

“Your fastest horse. Please.” Richie said, slapping down a gold piece on the counter. 

He saw the woman look at it, likely knowing that it was all they had. “Daisy needs to get outside. You’d be doing me a favor.” She said, pushing the coin back. 

Richie was proud but not stupid. He knew better than to reject the only small kindness the town showed him. “Thank you.” He whispered, still feeling Henry’s eyes on him. As quickly as he could, he saddled up, thankful that neither asked him any further questions. 

Within the hour, he was on the road, riding quickly towards the castle. Only now did he let himself think about how he would get his father back. Richie had very little money to offer for his release, he had to hope that it was enough. 

Soon, the castle loomed in front of him and Richie swallowed, fear rising in his chest. Everyone knew about the castle, owned by kings and queens for generations and now it had fallen into ruin. He could see the dilapidated tower, chunks fallen away. No one really knew what had happened, only that the royal family was gone and in its place was a terrible beast who ruled the land. 

Then, Richie was at the gate. Dismounting, he went inside, tying his horse to a tree. The courtyard was bare, with none of the flowers he always heard older townsfolk talk about. Every fiber of his body told him to run but that wasn’t an option. So, taking a deep breath, he walked to the front door and knocked. 

For a long minute, nothing happened. He was debating what else to try when he heard a faint ‘enter'. Steeling his nerves, he pushed the door, entering a grand entryway. Richie couldn’t help but gape. The area was huge, with large oil paintings and long hallways with marble floors. All of it was dirty though, a layer of dust covered nearly everything. 

“Hello?” Richie called. “I need to speak to the beast.” He didn’t see anyone, no servants or butlers had come forward to greet him. Richie didn’t know what he’d expected but it wasn’t this, a dark and lonely entryway. 

Then he heard some scampering and the front door slammed shut behind him. Richie yelped, jumping away from the noise and tripping over his feet as he was plunged into near total darkness. 

“Clumsy boy, isn’t he?” A voice asked. 

“Be nice. He’s scared.” Another replied. 

“Or stupid.” Added a third. 

“Hello?” Richie asked, sitting up on his elbows and peering around as best he could. “Who’s out there?”

Slowly, strangely, shapes started walking towards Richie. At first, he only saw shadows but then there was a bright flame. Then a huge lumbering shape. All this was followed by the sound of something scraping the floor. 

The final straw was when something whispered near his ear, “Don’t worry, we’re here to help.”

Richie passed out. 

\----------

When he came to, the first thing he heard was, “Nerves of steel.” 

“Be nice, Stan. He’s scared.” 

“What I want to know is why he’s here at all.” 

“Maybe he’s going to rescue us!” 

“Will you let go of that! No one will ever rescue us! We’re trapped like this!”

“Easy for you to say, you have legs!”

Richie sat up, holding his head. “What happened?” He looked around for the source of the voices but only saw household items. A teapot, a candlestick, an armoire. 

“Welcome to our humble home.” The candlestick said, dipping into a low bow. 

Richie screamed, trying to back away, but he scooted right into the armoire, who giggled. 

“You are skittish.” A female voice said. 

“What the hell!” He stood, only to trip over a clock and fall back on his behind. 

“Relax!” The clock said, hopping onto his chest. “We’re not going to hurt you!”

“How could we?” The armoire asked, leaning over him.

Richie’s eyes darted over them then he rubbed them, once, twice. When he looked again, all the items were still there, staring at him. While it didn’t make sense, it seemed that the voices were somehow coming from these items. 

“What are you?” He finally asked.

“Well I was the majordomo of the house.” The clock said, hopping off as Richie sat up. “But now I’m reduced to telling the time.” The clock hopped over, standing by the feather duster. 

“And I was the maître d',” The candlestick added. “Until the curse.” 

“I don’t know what those words mean or how you’re talking but-” He stood, wiping off the dirt. “I’m here to free my dad.”

“Oh, you’re Went’s boy.” The teapot said, hopping up to him. “He talks about you all the time.” 

“Great.” Richie stepped back but all of them followed, seeming eager to talk to him. “Can you point me to him?”

“Absolutely not.” The candlestick said, shaking his top candle. “The master would never allow it.” 

“Stan, look at the poor boy. He’s scared. We need to help him.” The teapot said, gesturing with his spout. 

“No, Ben. The last time we tried to help we were all locked in Bev for a week!” The candlestick insisted.

“I liked that even less than you.” The armoire said. 

“Look,” Richie held up his hands, trying to appeal to whatever reason was left in this strange house. “I just want my dad back. Then I’ll leave and you guys can get back to- whatever this is.” He gestured around the cold, unloved house. 

“We should help him. There’s no reason he should be miserable too.” The clock said, turning to his friends. 

“But Mike! Our lord!” The feather duster shook slightly at the word. “He’ll know if we help. He always knows.” 

Richie was about to ask who their master was when there was a roar from the top of the stairs. All the objects shook and a moment later, a hairy creature stepped into view, illuminated only by the light from the candlestick.

“What the hell is going on!” The beast cried, making his way down the grand staircase. “Don’t all of you have something better to do than wake me up!”

Richie had hid in the corner, watching as the fearsome creature descended. As he got close,r Richie realized a few things. One was that the beast looked mostly human, just really really hairy. Two-

“You’re so short.” He said, the words slipping from his lips. 

Instantly, six pairs of eyes were on him and he heard the candlestick sigh. “Short?” roared the beast. “I’m a perfectly normal height! Did one of the string beans from the garden get transformed and no one told me?”

“String bean!” Richie replied indignantly. “I’m not a string bean.”

The beast strode over to him, teeth bared. It would have been intimidating if the man had reached past his shoulders. “Why are you here?” He growled.

“You’re holding my father prisoner.” Richie said, drawing himself up to his full height. “I want him released.”

The beast looked Richie over, considering his words. 

“No.” He said, turning away. “Bev, throw him out.” 

“My lord-” The armoire started but the beast just flicked his wrist at her, already halfway to the stairs. 

“No!” Richie lunged for him, catching the man’s wrist and stopping him. “I’m not leaving until my father is free!” 

A blood curdling growl escaped the beast’s throat. Richie swallowed, suddenly worried that he was going to die in this strange place. “Why should I release him?” The beast asked, tearing his hand away. 

“Because he’s old! And sick! He doesn’t deserve to be locked up! No one does.” Behind him Richie heard a murmur of agreement.

The beast glared at them then looked back at Richie, “What will you give me?” 

“I have gold!” Richie reached into his pocket, pulling out two gold pieces. The beast scoffed. “And my cloak!” He took off his worn cloak, offering it to the creature.

“I don’t want your rags.” He growled, shaking his head and turning away again.

Richie sputtered. He could see he was losing the beast’s interest and he didn’t have much else to offer besides-

“Me, then. Take me.” 

The beast turned back, an eyebrow arched. “You?”  
“Me.” He confirmed, trying to keep the fear out of his voice. “I’m younger and stronger than my father. He’s old, feeble. Take me instead. I’ll- I’ll stay here.” 

The beast looked him over, still skeptical but finally nodded. “Fine. Come with me.” 

Richie’s heart hammered in his chest but he followed. They wound down to the dungeons. Questions bubbled up in Richie but for once he held his tongue, not speaking until they paused in front of a cell.

“Dad!” Richie lunged forward, grabbing the bars. His dad was there, looking far older than he had last time Richie had seen him.

“Richie!” He rose, reaching for Richie and grasping his fingers. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m getting you out.” Richie said. “Mom sent me.”

“Is she okay? Are you?” 

“I’m doing much better than you.” Richie replied. He turned to the beast, who was watching them with interest. “Release him.” 

“Fine.” He growled, unlocking the door. Went stumbled out and into Richie’s arms. 

“How did you convince him to release me?” Went whispered as they began to go back upstairs. 

“I did what I do best. I talked.” Richie said. He saw the beast throw a look at him but he didn’t speak. Richie was grateful. He didn’t want to tell his father the plan until the last second, knowing he’d object. 

Finally, they were back in the entryway, the door was open and Richie could see both horses outside. “Come on, Richie, let’s leave this foul place.” Went said, glaring at the beast.

“Dad, take care of mom, okay? I’ll be fine.” Richie said, hugging him once more. 

Went barely got out a surprised, ‘what?’ before Richie was shoving him away and outside. “I love you!” He shouted as the door closed. Richie could hear his dad shouting but he ignored it, instead turning to the beast. 

“Thank you for allowing me to say goodbye.” The creature only grunted. “I suppose I should go back to the dungeon?” 

The beast looked at him and Richie stared back. He was shocked to find something like kindness there. But it quickly disappeared. 

“No. You offered to say. I know you won’t run.” The beast said. Then he called out, “Mike! Stan! Show him to the guest rooms.” He glanced at Richie once more. “And get him dressed for dinner. Burn the rags he’s wearing.”

Richie gaped at him, stunned and confused. None of this made sense. “You’re- giving me rooms?” 

“You traded your life for your father’s.” The beast said, as if that explained his actions. “Now leave. I’ll see you at dinner.”

“Wait!” Richie called as the beast began going upstairs. “What’s your name?”

He hesitated then said, “Edward.” 

“I’m Richie!” He shouted back. The beast waved him away before disappearing from view. 

Richie turned to the should-have-been inanimate objects. “So, what the hell happened here?” If he was stuck here, he wanted to understand what was going on. How there was a beast who acted like a man and a judgmental talking candlestick. 

After a pause, the feather duster started speaking, weaving a tale about the night everything had gone wrong. A curse, placed on the castle nearly a decade ago. The prince- Edward- had been a selfish boy, coddled by his mother and never learned how to be kind or caring. That had been fine until he was cruel to the wrong person, a witch who stopped by one night, looking for food and a place to sleep. Edward had thrown her into the dungeon and the next morning the house had woken up like this. All the servants had been turned onto household items and Eddie was a beast. All of them were ageless and trapped. 

“Can you do anything about it?” He asked as he followed the strange greeting committee to his new room.

He watched as the candlestick, Stan, and the clock, Mike, exchanged looks. Richie had been properly introduced to all them and was trying to learn their names.

“No.” Mike eventually said. “We’re trapped like this.”

“It’s not all bad.” Ben, the teapot, added. “At least we aren’t stuck as chamber pots!” 

“That’s easy for you to say.” Bev said, lumbering behind them. “I miss seeing the rest of the house! I miss the kitchen and flowers!” 

“At least no one tries to dust with you.” Bill added with what Richie thought was a sulk. 

Richie shook his head. It was going to take some time to get used to this.

The group stopped in front of a door, Stan jumping up to open it. “These will be your quarters.” He said, gesturing Richie inside. 

The space was huge, with its own bath and a small balcony. He threw open the curtains, letting light shine into the dark area. His mom always said that sunshine made everything a little better. 

“This room is bigger than my house.” He said, turning around for another look. The odd crew beamed back at him. He got the impression that they were excited to have someone new to talk to. Edward didn’t seem like much of a conversationalist. 

“Now,” Bev said as she threw open her doors. “We need to dress you. I think I have just the thing.”

Before long, Richie was in a new outfit, one that he had to admit looked pretty good on him. 

“Why do you have all these clothes?” He asked, turning around to look at himself. 

Bev grew quiet and gave what he thought maybe a shrug. “There used to be more of us.”

He decided not to ask what that meant. He wasn’t sure he wanted to know. Instead, he turned to look at the others. “I want to explore. If I’m going to be stuck here, I want to know what the place looks like.” 

They all exchanged looks. Mike was the first to speak. “Anywhere but the West wing. It’s old and broken down. We don’t want you to get hurt.” 

Something about that didn’t ring true but he didn’t care. Richie wanted to be alone. A lot had happened in the last few hours and he needed to process. Waving them goodbye, he wandered upstairs, passing by room after room, each one shuttered. He could tell that the palace used to be something amazing but now it was neglected, sad. 

He wandered for hours, poking his head in wherever looked interesting. At some point, he realized he was completely lost. He’d gone up too many stairs and down others and he had no idea where he was. Richie was debating shouting and hoping that more furniture came to his rescue when something caught his eye. Wandering closer, Richie saw that it was a rose, kept under a glass container. Nearly all the petals had fallen off but it was still beautiful. 

He was about to lift the top when someone shouted out him. “No!” 

Richie jumped and turned, seeing the Beast, Edward, lumbering toward him and putting himself between Richie and the rose. 

“Not that.” He growled, glaring up at Richie. 

“Didn’t take you for a gardener.” Richie said, his hands held up. The beast glared and Richie took a step back. 

“You aren’t supposed to be over here.” Edward said, watching Richie with clear mistrust. Whatever kindness had been there before was gone now, replaced with anger. 

“I got lost.” He said defensively. “It’s my first time in a palace.” 

The beast glared at him for another minute and for a moment, Richie wondered if he was going to end up in the prison. Then he said, “I’ll take you back.” He didn’t wait for Richie’s reply, turning and beginning to walk. It was quiet for several minutes, the beast leading them down grand halls and soon Richie was twitching from the awkward silence. 

“So, a prince huh?” He finally asked. It wasn’t a hard conclusion to draw. Even though all the family portraits were gone, Richie knew what a King’s castle looked like. 

The beast just grunted.

“You’re a real charmer there, Eds.” 

“Edward.”

“That’s too big a name for someone so short.” He said, earning another glare. Being alone certainly hadn’t softened the man. 

“How about Eddie?” Richie asked after another minute of silence. He didn’t know why he was trying so hard. The man was keeping him prisoner but Richie needed someone to talk to, it was in his blood to never shut up. “Eduardo? Eddiekins?” He continued when the beast didn’t reply.

“Eddie is fine.” He said after an eye roll. They were back in a nicer part of the palace now. “Stay out of the west wing next time.” 

“Sure thing, Eds.” 

The thick eyebrows furrowed then looked Richie over. “Don’t forget to change for dinner.” Eddie said before stalking away. 

“I already did!” Richie called after him. 

It wasn’t until he was back on the main floor that he learned what dressing for dinner meant. Bev accosted him right away, spitting a new outfit at him. 

“I don’t see why it matters.” Richie said as he changed again. “There’s no one here.”

“You’re eating with a prince.” Stan told him. “He may be a tad hairy but he’s still royalty. That reminds me-” Stan hopped around, standing in front of Richie. “You do know how to dine properly, right?”

“You just pick up everything with your hands, right?” He asked, laughing at Stan’s clear displeasure. “Yes, even the common folk have forks believe it or not.” 

“Good. Try to use whatever manners you may have.”

“Why?” Richie asked for what felt like the fifteenth time. He didn’t understand why it mattered or why they cared so much.

Stan didn’t answer and a minute later, Bill appeared, whisking Richie away to the dining room. Eddie was already there and it looked like his fur had been combed down so he looked more presentable. He looked almost handsome. Richie could see some of his human features- big brown eyes and plump cheeks that were probably often pinched when he was human. He wondered what Eddie looked like before this. 

“You made it.” Eddie said as Richie sat across from him. “I was beginning to think you’d gotten lost again.”

“No such luck.” Richie replied. He may be forced to eat with the man but he didn’t have to be nice. All Eddie had done so far was be rude to him even after Richie had tried to be nice to his captor. The two glared at each other until a clatter made them look over. A serving table was rolling itself over and then the soup bowls hopped off and in front of them.

Eddie began eating immediately, not bothering to pick up a spoon. Richie couldn’t help but laugh, which made Eddie stop and look at him. “I got a lecture about eating with a prince but your manners are far worse than mine.” 

Eddie stopped, wiping his mouth with a paw and looked around. Richie saw that Stan was on the mantle, watching them and shaking his head. 

Richie picked up his own bowl and drank from it, much to Eddie’s clear surprise. He laughed. “Look, I don’t care. Besides if the spoons are alive too, I don’t want them in my mouth.”

“The spoons are just spoons.” Eddie said, sipping his own soup again. 

“Good.” Richie set the bowl down, deciding to ask the question that had been burning in his mind. “Why did the servants get changed too? If you were the jerk, why punish them?”

Eddie growled at Richie, not liking the question. “You really are tactless.” 

“You’re the one who's cursed.” He replied. “There’s no moral high ground here.”

Eddie muttered something about commoners but then looked up at Richie. “I think the witch blamed them for letting me behave that way. My mother, the queen, she was cruel and no one stood up to her. With me, no one stopped me from becoming-”

“A beast.” Richie finished, nodding. 

“Exactly.” 

The next dish came out and Richie watched as Eddie tried to use a fork and knife. His paws were far too big for the delicate silverware. “Were you really that awful? I always assumed royalty was supposed to be a bit terrible.” 

Another glare. Richie was quickly realizing he would need to get used to that expression. 

“My mother was a terrible woman. Selfish and uncaring. She would keep the country’s wealth for herself, spending it on jewels and dresses. My father had been kinder, gentler, but he passed when I was young.” Eddie wasn’t talking to Richie, trapped in memories. 

“I would love to pretend that I was like my father, brave and willing to tackle injustice, but I was too much like her. I didn’t care about my subjects or their needs. I wanted to take care of myself, I wanted to be surrounded by wealth and beauty.” Now Eddie looked at Richie. “I wasn’t worse than others but I certainly wasn’t better. I wasn’t the prince the country deserved and I paid the price.”

“And now?” Richie asked, caught up in the story. “Have you learned from it? Are you a better person?”

“I’m keeping you prisoner, aren’t I? Doesn’t that tell you what you need to know?” Eddie’s eyes flashed dangerously as he finally stabbed his potato. 

Richie leaned back in his chair. That was true, though it still didn’t make sense why Eddie was doing that. He didn’t seem to want Richie there. Why keep a prisoner if you wanted to be left alone? 

“What do you do for fun?” Richie asked, answering Eddie’s question. He looked surprised then suspicious. It seemed the man did not trust Richie, or anyone.

“Why?”

“I’m stuck here. I want to know. Do you make small wooden figurines? Practice forgotten dances? How do you pass the time?”

Eddie looked him over, his eyes travelling over Richie’s face. “Gambling. You wouldn’t guess it but Mike is a cardshark.”

At that, Richie barked out a loud laugh, shaking his head. “Shit, beasty gets off a good one. Okay, you may be a brat but at least you’re funny.”

At his comment, Richie was rewarded with the first real smile he’d seen. It completely changed Eddie’s face making him almost handsome. 

But it was quickly gone, his face schooled back into a scowl. 

“I know what you might like.” Eddie added after a second, standing up and pushing his chair back. 

Richie followed eagerly, interested in anything that might reveal more about this strange house that he now lived in.

Eddie led him upstairs and to the right, pushing open a door. Richie couldn’t stop the gasp that escaped from his mouth. It was a library. But not one like he’d ever seen. No, this one was huge, bigger than most of the shops in Richie’s town. It was so big it needed a sliding ladder to reach everything.

“Holy shit.” Richie said, walking through the room, his hand trailing on the books. “I didn’t know there were this many books in the world.” 

From behind him, Richie heard a low chuckle. “I’m a collector.”

“That’s putting it mildly.” Richie said, still in awe. His hand stopped on one and he glanced back, silently asking if he could touch it. Eddie nodded and Richie pulled it out- a book of fairytales, complete with hand drawn illustrations. 

“You can read anything you like.” Eddie said. 

“I want to read them all.” Richie said, putting the book down and grabbing another. “Which are your favorite?” You could tell a lot about a person by what they read. His mother enjoyed mysteries, missing people and lost heirlooms. His father preferred history. Richie, Richie liked fairy tales. Stories about people realizing they were meant for greatness, that they could rise above where they started. It hit home for him. 

He picked up another book and was looking through it when he realized Eddie hadn’t answered. He turned to look at the other male, seeing that he was staring at the floor. 

“Eds?”

“Not my name.” Eddie growled. He was quiet for another minute, long enough that Richie nearly reached out to comfort him.

Finally, he raised his head. “I can’t read.” His eyes flashed, daring Richie to laugh. 

Richie was just confused though. “But you said you were a collector?”

Eddie finally stepped into the room, running his hand over the books like Richie had. “Most were my father’s. He had been teaching me to read before he passed. After that, I never cared to learn.”

Richie’s heart sank, feeling unspeakably sad for the young man. He stepped closer to Eddie, a book still in hand. “I could teach you. If you want.” Richie had given lessons to others in their small town, not that many wanted to learn. 

Eddie’s brow furrowed and he examined Richie’s face like he was waiting for him to say more. When Richie didn’t, Eddie nodded briskly. “Yes. Maybe. We’ll see. I’m very busy.” 

“Doing what? Sulking till lunch then brooding till dinner?” Richie asked. Behind him, he heard a snort. Turning, he saw they had an audience, all the sentient items, minus Bev, were watching them from the doorway.

Eddie growled at them then at Richie. “You’re dismissed.” For a second, Richie wasn’t sure who Eddie meant but then it was clear it was him. He grabbed a few more books then headed to the door, trading places with Stan and the others.

Once he was in the hallway, the door slammed shut and he immediately heard Eddie railing at them. “He needs to go!” Eddie yelled. Richie swore he felt the house rumble. 

“Sire, you need him. He’s perfect.” He heard Bill’s voice tentatively say.

“It won’t work.” Eddie growled.

“It’s been a day.” Stan said. “You need to give it time.”

“We don’t have time.” Richie could hear him pacing. “The rose, it’s lost nearly all its petals.”

“All the more reason not to give up so quickly.” Mike said. 

Richie wanted to keep listening but the group had moved away, their voices now just angry hushed tones. He decided to go back to his room and try to get the story from someone else. 

Opening the door to his, he found Bev, apparently napping. “Hey there, lovely lady.” He said, falling onto bed.

She woke, moving closer to him. “You’ll wrinkle those.” 

“So?” He asked, sitting up. “It’s not like anyone will need them.” 

Bev seemed to shrug at this but Richie still stood to shed the clothes, pulling on a set of silk pajamas that Bev shoved at him. 

He was trying to figure out how to ask her about the rose but it turned out he didn’t need to. Bev brought it up first.

“You went exploring.” She said. It wasn’t a question but he nodded anyway. “I could hear you. I’ve gotten very used to the sounds in this house. Did you go to the west wing?”

He nodded, pulling on the silk shirt and looking at her. “What was that?” He didn’t need to specify that he meant the rose. 

“The curse. It’s not enough that we’re stuck like this.” She wobbled back and forth a little, fluttering her doors. “If someone doesn’t fall in love with Eddie before the last petal falls, we’re trapped like this. Forever.” 

“Shit.” Richie wasn’t sure what else to say. It wasn’t bad enough that they were being punished for Eddie’s poor behavior, soon they were going to be stuck like that forever. 

“It’s not ideal.” Bev agreed. “I signed up to be a chef, not furniture.” 

“How long do you have?”

She shrugged, or did something close to it. “A month. Maybe two.” 

“Shit.” He fell back on the bed, thinking about how it must feel for all of them. Eventually he fell asleep, into troubled dreams about running through a library while he tried to rescue something that he couldn't quite see. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “A partner, hm?” Richie asked, grinning at Eddie as he raised his hands, pretending to waltz around him. “I could be your partner.”
> 
> He snorted. “Not if you think that’s proper form.” Eddie said, grabbing Richie’s hands in his paws and correcting them, placing one on Eddie’s bicep and the other in his hand. “See?” Eddie had his second hand under Richie’s arm, he could feel the warmth of it through his coat. 
> 
> “I think so.” He tried not to be overwhelmed by it, by how close they suddenly were. Eddie didn’t seem to realize, he was too busy rambling about foot placement. 

When Richie woke up the next morning, he was disoriented, confused why he was being attacked by fluffy clouds- until he remembered where he was. The bed was the most comfortable thing he’d ever slept in, almost too much so, and he knew he’d slept later than he had in years. 

“I’m going to become a fat house cat.” He said to himself, walking to his window. When he opened the curtains, he saw a fresh layer of snow had fallen and decided to go enjoy it after breakfast. He had no idea if going outside was allowed but he’d always found it easier to ask forgiveness than permission. 

He was just bundling up when there was a knock on his door. When he opened it, Eddie was there, looking very sheepish for a wolf. 

“I brought you these.” He said, thrusting books into Richie’s hands. “Mike told me you’d enjoy them.” 

Richie looked down at the covers- Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, the Swan Princess. Classics. Books he’d read before or ones he’d heard of. 

“I will. Thank you.” 

Eddie nodded curtly then looked Richie over. “Are you planning an escape? You won’t make it far without a horse.”

“You really are a bitter one.” Richie said, shaking his head. “I was going to go outside. I didn’t want to be stuck inside all day.” He paused, unsure what made him ask his next question. 

“Do you want to come?”

Eddie opened his mouth, likely to say no, but then, seemingly surprising them both, he nodded. “Yes. I’ll join you. Let me get my cloak.”

Shortly after, they were outside, walking around the grounds. They weren’t quite walking together, Eddie was staying on the trail, which was better kept and closer to the castle. Richie had strayed into the gardens, wanting to investigate everything and calling questions back to Eddie about what things were. Currently, Richie was spinning, trying to catch the falling snow on his tongue and Eddie was grumbling that it was cold. 

“Perhaps you should have worn shoes.” Richie called, pointing to Eddie’s bare feet. 

“The cobbler doesn’t exactly make ones in my size.” Eddie growled. 

The thought made Richie laugh, imagining Eddie getting shoes made. “They make them for dogs you know, small boots that tie up. Maybe those would work for you.” 

“I think I hate you.” 

Richie laughed, shaking his head. “Call a cobbler, I’m sure he would make shoes for the prince.”

Eddie shook his head. “I don’t need a cobbler. Or anyone. I’m perfectly fine on my own.” 

Richie stopped, regarded him. “Are you? No man is an island, Eddie. We all need others.” 

Eddie gestured down at himself, bitterness in his voice. “In case you forgot, I’m not a man anymore. I’m a beast.” 

To Richie, that only proved his point, that Eddie needed others but as he tried to articulate that, he hit a small patch of ice then fell, landing with a loud  _ ‘oof! _ ’. As he sat up, he heard Eddie laughing behind him, a deep belly laugh at Richie’s expense.

He sat up, holding his head, and instantly Eddie stopped. “Are you okay?” He asked, obviously worried. “I can carry you in.”

The thought wasn’t as upsetting as it should be. To banish it, Richie made a snowball and hurled it at Eddie’s face, hitting his mane. “I’m better now!” He said, grinning as he rose.

The grin was wiped off his face as a cold pack of mush hit him square in the jaw. 

“Good.” Eddie called back. Richie popped up to look at him and saw that he had a huge grin on his face. He looked so different when he smiled that for a second Richie was frozen. 

Until the next snowball hit him. 

“Not fair!” Richie said, shivering as it ran down his coat. 

“You started it!” Eddie replied. “And you hit a prince.” 

Richie’s reply came in the form of another snowball. Before long, the two of them were running around the castle, hurdling snowballs at each other and ducking behind trees or the castle when they were able. Richie couldn’t remember the last time he’d laughed this much. He felt happy, free. Eddie was laughing just as much, so much that he snorted which made Richie double over with laughter and allowed Eddie to pelt him for several minutes. 

At some point, he managed to get behind Eddie and snuck up on him, intending to stuff snow down his back. Eddie was quicker than he expected though and turned at the last second. The two collided and fell to the ground. Richie ended up on top of Eddie, cushioned from the cold by his thick fur. 

“It’s not so easy to sneak up on me.” Eddie said, grinning up at him wolfishly. His canines glinted in the sun and Richie knew he should be scared but he wasn’t, not when the smile on Eddie’s face was so bright it hurt. 

“You have excellent hearing.” Richie said, realizing he needed to respond somehow and not just stare down at Eddie. 

“Being a beast comes with a few advantages.”

Richie knew he needed to get up, to dust off the snow, but something kept him there. He wanted to run his hands through the thick fur, untangle the mats he saw. When he raised his hand to stroke Eddie’s cheek though, the man growled, pushing Richie off him and getting back on his feet. 

“We should go inside.” Eddie said, not looking at him. “You’ll become ill, being out here.” 

Even if Richie wanted to argue, it wouldn’t have mattered. Eddie was already stalking off. Richie shook his head, thinking that he was going to get whiplash if he spent too long with the man. 

He went inside where a warm bath had been drawn for him and new clothes were set out. Richie decided that he would spend the rest of the day reading. The small seat by the balcony had been calling to him. As he sunk into the bath, he tried not to think about Eddie and his confusing behavior, trying to figure out what exactly the man wanted. Richie wasn’t even sure that Eddie knew. 

He had just started a book when there was a knock on his door. “Yes?” He called, not wanting to move from under the warm blanket. 

Eddie’s furry head poked into the room. “I wanted to see if-” He stopped and Richie thought he was smiling. “You look comfortable.” 

“I am.” 

“I’ll leave you then.”

“Or you could sit with me.” Richie said, the words tumbling out of his mouth. Richie could lie to himself and say that he wanted to be with the only other human-like creature in the house but that wasn’t it. There was something about Eddie that called to him, made Richie want him close even if he was still annoyed with the man. Richie had a feeling they’d spend much of their time being annoyed with the other. 

“You’re busy.” Eddie said as he stepped inside the room.

“We can start your lessons.” Richie put his legs down as Eddie walked over, sitting as far as he could from Richie on the small bench. 

Eddie gave a quick nod and Richie moved closer, opening the book on his lap. “I’ll read to you for a bit, then we’ll switch.”

Eddie looked up at him and Richie saw something complicated cross his face. Lines furrowed on his brow and Richie wanted to reach out to smooth them out. Before he could act on his thoughts, the lines disappeared and Eddie nodded, leaning into Richie to see the book. 

As they started reading, Richie discarded the blanket. Eddie was like his own personal fire, especially since the two ended up closer during the lesson, neither saying anything about it. He soon learned that Eddie knew his letters and could read simple words. But Eddie got embarrassed whenever he said something wrong, leading to several pouting sessions. When that happened, Richie would take the book back and read until Eddie relaxed again, secretly enjoying seeing the cute, annoyed expression. 

“Richie, have you seen-” Bev asked, barrelling through the door. She stopped as she saw the two of them, Eddie’s eyes following Richie’s finger. Eddie leapt away from him as soon as she entered but it didn’t deter her clear delight. 

“I didn’t mean to interrupt, my lord. I was looking for you both.” She said, her words were apologetic but her tone was excited.

“What exactly is so urgent that you couldn’t even knock?” Eddie growled at her. 

After all this time, she was obviously immune to his tone. “Dinner.” 

The next days followed in a similar manner. Richie would wake up and take a walk, outside if he could or inside if it was too cold. Most days, Eddie joined him. He seemed to delight in startling Richie and then rambling off mundane facts about the castle, telling him what country a piece of furniture was from or the history of a painting. Then they would work on reading, usually over lunch. Then dinner. Eddie always disappeared after dinner, leaving Richie to get to know the staff better. It was a strange life but not a bad one, especially as Eddie started to relax more and open up.

“Dancing.” He said one day when they were outside. They had gone further than normal. The weather was getting nicer and Richie could see the first few buds on the trees.

“What about it?” He asked, turning to see Eddie looking up at the sky.

“That first night, you asked me what I liked to do. I like dancing. Or I did. It’s less enjoyable without a partner.”

Richie nodded, walking closer to Eddie. He had no idea what Eddie thought of him. Sometimes, he seemed to enjoy having Richie around, laughing at his jokes and voices or asking his thoughts on topics. Other times though, it was as if some invisible switch would flip and Eddie’s mood would shift. His face would darken and he’d leave, disappearing into some other part of the castle. It had happened last night, when Richie was musing about how his father’s inventions were going. He’d been working on an automatic snow shovel that, last Richie had seen, only succeeded in throwing the snow back in the user’s face. He had been halfway through describing it when Eddie had stormed off, leaving before Richie had even gotten to the best part of the story. It didn’t make sense. 

“A partner, hm?” Richie asked, grinning at Eddie as he raised his hands, pretending to waltz around him. “I could be your partner.”

He snorted. “Not if you think that’s proper form.” Eddie said, grabbing Richie’s hands in his paws and correcting them, placing one on Eddie’s bicep and the other in his hand. “See?” Eddie had his second hand under Richie’s arm, he could feel the warmth of it through his coat. 

“I think so.” He tried not to be overwhelmed by it, by how close they suddenly were. Eddie didn’t seem to realize, he was too busy rambling about foot placement. 

“Understand?” Eddie asked, looking up at Richie with those far too human eyes. Whatever else the witch had changed, she’d left those eyes. “It’s simple really.” 

Richie laughed, his hand flexing in Eddie’s. “It’s absolutely not. You’ll have to teach me if you want a dance partner.” 

Eddie regarded him then nodded. “I would like to believe that I could teach anyone, even you.” 

“Hey!” 

Eddie arched an eyebrow. “I’ve seen you trip over literally nothing, in addition to many, many actual things.”

“Are you saying you watch me?” Richie asked, smiling down at Eddie. He knew the answer. There was nothing else to watch in the castle, of course they watched each other. And yet- 

“Take a step with your left foot.” Eddie said, ignoring Richie’s comment as he explained the complicated steps that left Richie’s head spinning. 

After that, they added a new thing to their day. Eddie started teaching Richie how to dance. Eddie was much better at reading than Richie was at dancing. He kept forgetting the steps, distracted by how Eddie’s hands felt in his or how his eyebrows quirked when Richie did something wrong. But, slowly, he improved. He found himself practicing the steps on his own, dancing alone down the empty hallways. 

“You’re supposed to dress up tonight.” Bev told him a few weeks later. Richie had been there nearly two months now. It wasn’t any less strange but he had a routine, a life here. He was happy. Mostly. He still wanted something more, even if he wasn’t exactly sure what that was. 

“Dress up?” He frowned. “For Eddie? He knows what I look like.” 

“His majesty’s request.” Bev opened her doors, revealing a dark purple outfit that looked like it would fit him perfectly. Richie didn’t stop to wonder how they had gotten his measurements, instead shedding his clothes and putting on the new outfit.

“How do I look?” He asked, spinning in front of Bev.

“Very handsome for someone with two legs.” She said. “I wish I had hands to fix your hair though.” 

“It wouldn’t matter.” He promised. He found that he was excited for the night, curious what Eddie had planned. And he liked spending time with Eddie, liked the little annoyed growls he made and how close he sat to Richie during reading lessons. If Richie was being honest, he felt something for Eddie, something real and lasting. He wished he knew if Eddie felt the same. 

“You know, Richie, you can save us.” Bev said quietly, like she knew what he was thinking. “If you just-”

“Is he ready?” Stan asked, appearing at the door. “The master is waiting.” 

Riche threw a look at Bev. He knew what she was about to say. He’d been thinking about it since he learned the truth. Fall in love, kiss Eddie, break the curse. As he followed Stan, he thought about whether he was in love, what that even meant. He liked Eddie, yes, but was it strong enough to break the curse? It was a tall order, measuring feelings like this and Richie didn’t want to fail.

Richie entered the dining room and looked around. He didn’t see anyone else there, at least no other mammals. 

Then from behind, he heard a soft  _ ‘oh’ _ . Richie turned, seeing Eddie standing there in a dark green suit, his mane brushed back. He looked incredibly handsome.

“Oh to you too.” Richie said, walking over to him. “You clean up nice.”

“As do you.” Eddie said, reaching out and touching Richie’s lapels. “If we were in court, you’d be nearly presentable.”

“As a butler?” 

Eddie’s eyes trailed up, meeting his. “As a companion.” 

Richie’s heart sped up at that, at the implication behind it. “Well thank you.” 

“Here, come.” Eddie took Richie’s hand in his paw and led them to the table where the food was already laid out. 

“Did we get all dressed up for dinner?” Richie asked, letting Eddie pull out his chair for him.

“Not quite.” Eddie said, pushing Richie in and then going to his chair. “I have a surprise, after dinner.”

Richie arched an eyebrow but didn’t ask, instead turning to his food. Eddie had requested his favorites, simple dishes that reminded Richie of his mother and father. It made him miss home more than he had in weeks.

“Are you alright?” Eddie asked, lowering his spoon. 

“I’m- I will be.” Richie offered what he hoped was a believable smile and picked up his silverware. He tried to focus on talking to Eddie but he was distracted by wondering what his parents were eating for dinner, if the silk merchant had made it to the small town yet. 

“Come, let me take you to your surprise.” Eddie said as they finished eating. He rose, offering Richie his hand. 

Richie took it and Eddie led them to a room off the side of the dining room. Richie had seen it before when he was snooping around but it had been dusty, full of old furniture. Now, the room was clean and sparkled in the candle light.

“Eds?” He asked, looking around the huge room. It was gorgeous, complete with a huge chandelier and polished floor. 

Eddie held out his hand once more. “I thought we could dance. Let you use all those new moves you have acquired.”

He grinned. “I’d love to.” As he took Eddie’s hand, music flared behind them, a slow waltz. Richie let Eddie lead, spinning him around the dance floor. He’d never seen Eddie look so happy before, he was beaming up at Richie.

For his part Richie felt confused and conflicted. He loved this, loved being with Eddie and the palace. But he also loved his home, his parents and he knew he couldn’t have both. 

“Richie,” Eddie said softly, unaware of the battle in his head. “You could stay here. We could have this every night. Dinners and dances, walks around the castle. You and I. We could be happy.” 

“Eddie-”

“Stay with me, Richie, with us. Be mine, be my prince.” Eddie asked, looking up at him. “You’ll never want for anything. It would be just us, you and I, forever.”

“I don’t want that!” Richie cried, suddenly overwhelmed. “I don’t want to stay here on this hill, alone.” He stepped back as Eddie’s eyes flashed. “I want to see my parents! I want to explore the world!”

“But- I can give you everything! You’ll never be hungry or cold again!” Eddie said, advancing on him. “You’ll never want for anything. Say the word and you’ll have it.” 

Richie backed up to the door, shaking his head. “No, you don’t get it! You think you can just give people things and that’s enough! It’s not! I need people, I need companionship!” 

Eddie snarled, his expression shifting as his eyes narrowed. “Those things are weaknesses! Other people, they only get in the way!”

“Even me?” 

Eddie’s pause was enough to answer Richie’s question. His anger dissipated, replaced with something else. He felt hollow, devoid of feelings, like it had been sucked out of him. 

“I thought you had learned, Eddie." He said sadly. His heart felt heavy in his chest. "I thought you understood- you can’t do it all alone, you need friends! You need people!” 

“I don’t need anyone!” Eddie snarled, showing his teeth. “Leave! You’re free to go! Go back to your village, live your small life! I don’t care.” With that, Eddie turned, storming out of the room. 

Richie watched him go, stunned and hurt.

Then he turned to his room, ready to gather his meager belongings and leave this cursed place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is anyone shocked that this turned into a 3 chap fic? No? Good.   
> Hope everyone is staying safe and keeping healthy <3


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “What- what do you mean?” Richie asked, suddenly worried. 
> 
> Henry’s grin was enough of an answer but Richie's stomach churned when he spoke. “For far too long the beast has lived in the castle, our cruel overlord. But no more. When he took Went and then you we knew it was too far. The beast’s breaths are numbered.”
> 
> “No!” Richie lunged for Henry. He wasn't even sure what he intended to do but he knew he needed to stop him, he couldn’t let Henry get to Eddie. 
> 
> But Henry had far better reflexes than Richie. He easily sidestepped Richie’s attack, letting him fall to the floor. He heard his mother call out, worried, but Henry stepped between them.
> 
> “Poor Richie, he thinks he loves this monster.” He raised his sword, eyes glinting. “But I’ve come too far to let you stop me now.” 
> 
> Then everything went black.

Richie returned to his room to pack, quietly and quickly Night was already falling but he didn’t care. He didn’t want to spend another moment there. Bev and the others gathered, asking him what happened and begging him to stay but he wouldn’t listen. He was too hurt, the wound was too fresh. Eddie had seemed sure in his words, positive that he wanted to be alone, and Richie would give him that. 

“Richie please, he’s a hot head but he's a good person.” Ben said, hopping on the bed as Richie had shoved clothes in his worn bag. 

“Give him time and he’ll cool down and apologize.” Mike added. 

“Or we’ll make him.” Stan promised. 

Richie threw the last thing in his bag and turned to them, offering a helpless shrug. “I’m sorry. I truly am. But I can’t save him, not if he doesn’t want to be saved. I can’t save any of you either. I’m not a hero, I’m a merchant’s son, that’s it. And I miss my home.”

They all fell silent. Richie could barely look at them, knowing that they’d put faith in him to fix this. He had wanted to help them but he couldn’t, not when Eddie refused help every step of the way. 

It was Bev who spoke first. “We understand. Please be safe.” 

He nodded, bending down to hug each of them as best he could. “I’ll miss all of you.” He said, surprised to find how true it was. He liked all of them, his new friends, but he’d meant it. He wasn’t anyone’s savior. Least of all a spoiled prince’s. 

With that thought he left. Outside a horse was waiting for him. Something twisted in Richie’s stomach, knowing that Eddie had been the one to ready it for him. He had no idea if it was meant as an apology or as a way to get him to leave sooner. He refused to think about it, instead mounting the horse and easing it into a slow gallop, putting the castle and its inhabitants behind him. 

It wasn’t long before he saw his town, small lights in the distance. Something unlocked in his chest, seeing it exactly how he had left it. He rode home, barely bothering to tie up the horse before rushing inside. There was his mother and father, just sitting down to dinner. Both leapt up as he entered, running to him.

“Richie, my Richie,” Maggie said, cradling his face and examining him for injuries. “My baby.”

“You’re alive.” Went said, his hand on Richie’s arm, touching him as if to check that he was real. “You ran away.”

“He released me.” Richie said, taking in their faces, the house. He had forgotten how small it was, the three of them barely fit in the room. 

“A small kindness from a monster.” Maggie said coldly. 

“He wasn’t a monster.” Richie said, feeling like he had to defend Eddie. “Not always.” He didn’t know how to tell them, how to explain that Eddie was a man who loved to dance, who was learning to read. He was so much more than the monster the world made him out to be, so much better. 

“That’s not what I heard.” Came a drawl from behind them. He turned to see Henry in the doorway, watching their reunion. “You’ve returned.”

“I was allowed to.” Richie said, on edge. He didn’t trust the other man, especially when he had such convenient timing. 

“Your parents have been so worried.” Henry continued, stepping inside without being invited. “They wanted me to bring you home.”

“Well I’m here now. They no longer need you.” 

Henry tutted, looking Richie over. “You look terrible. Tired and beaten.”

“Did he beat you?” Maggie cried, forcing Richie’s face to her again.

Richie shook his head violently. “No! He never touched me!” 

“You don’t need to lie, Richie. You’re home now.” Henry stepped closer, taking Richie’s chin in his own hand. “You can tell us what the beast did to you.”

“He didn’t do anything.” RIchie spat, glaring at Henry. “He was a gentleman. More than you’ve ever been.”

Henry tutted, shaking his head. “I’ve heard about this. People falling for their captors. It’s a pity. We may never know how poorly Richie was treated, what horrors he endured.”

“I wasn’t treated poorly!” Richie practically shouted. He could feel that his parents didn’t believe him. Of course they didn’t, no one knew what the real Eddie was like, that he was sweet and gentle under that hard exterior. 

Henry gave him a hard look before releasing Richie and addressing his parents. “It’s no matter though. I have already raised a party. We’ll exact revenge on this horrible creature.”

“What- what do you mean?” Richie asked, suddenly worried. 

Henry’s grin was enough of an answer but Richie's stomach churned when he spoke. “For far too long the beast has lived in the castle, our cruel overlord. But no more. When he took Went and then you we knew it was too far. The beast’s breaths are numbered.”

“No!” Richie lunged for Henry. He wasn't even sure what he intended to do but he knew he needed to stop him, he couldn’t let Henry get to Eddie. 

But Henry had far better reflexes than Richie. He easily sidestepped Richie’s attack, letting him fall to the floor. He heard his mother call out, worried, but Henry stepped between them.

“Poor Richie, he thinks he loves this monster.” He raised his sword, eyes glinting. “But I’ve come too far to let you stop me now.” 

Then everything went black.

When Richie came to, he was in his childhood bed, his mother and father sitting beside him. He sat up, groaning as his headache.

“You’re awake!” Maggie said, moving closer and taking his hand. “Are you okay?”

“What happened?” He asked, struggling to sit up. His head protested the movement and he reached up, feeling a bump that had formed. 

“Henry hit you with his sword.” She said quietly, offering him a cup of water. “After you two quarreled.”

Everything came back. Henry was going to kill Eddie. He had others with him who would help. 

“I have to stop him.” Richie said, rising to his feet. He stumbled, grabbing the wall and Maggie rose to help him.

“You’ll never reach him in time.” She said, putting an arm under him and leading him back to the bed. “You’ve been out for hours.”

“I have to try.” RIchie insisted, moving out from under her grip. “I have to.”

“Honey, he kidnapped you. He hurt you.” She said it softly, like speaking to a child. 

“He didn’t hurt me.” Richie said. “He- he understands me. More than anyone ever has.” He swallowed, unsure how to convince them. He glanced at Went and Maggie and thought about their love, how sure they’d always seemed, even when they fought. “I can let them hurt him.” 

“You love him.” Went said quietly, watching him.

He nodded. Richie hadn’t admitted it to himself but the thought of losing Eddie forced him to. “I do dad, I do.” 

“Then go to him.” Maggie said, walking to Went and threading their hands together. “I hope you find him still alive.”

“Me too.” Richie gave them both quick hugs then went to his horse. He rode back to the castle, even faster than before. He didn’t let himself think about what would happen if he was too late. He couldn’t. Eddie and the others had to be fine. They had to be. 

He smelled it before he saw it. Fire and smoke. The distinct odor of something burning. 

“No, no, no,” He muttered, spurring the horse on even faster. He crested a hill and saw it, the castle was on fire. No all of it but the spire, the part of the castle that held the rose, it was in flames. 

“Eddie!” He cried, leaping off the scared horse and running the rest of the way. He ran into the castle, finding townsfolk ransacking the place, lighting everything they could on fire. They didn’t pay him any notice, even when he yelled at them to stop. Not pausing to look at the damage he ran to his old room, hoping to find the others there. When he reached it the door was barricaded. 

“Go away!” A voice called.

“We’re armed!” Said another. 

Richie breathed a sigh of relief. “It’s me.” 

He heard a shuffle and a moment later the door opened, revealing his friends, all of whom looked very relieved to see him. 

“Thank god you’re all okay.” Richie said, walking in and hugging each of them.

“You as well.” Mike said. “When we first heard the noises we hoped it was you.” 

“But then we saw that goon.” Ben continued. “He was calling for the prince, mocking him, calling him a coward for hiding in his castle.” 

“And you. He said terrible thing about you.” Bill added. “It wasn’t until he mocked you that Edward appeared.” Everyone nodded and Richie stilled, suddenly terrified. 

“Is he- did Eddie-?” He didn’t know how to end the sentence. He wasn’t sure he wanted to know what had happened. 

“They fought.” Bev said quietly. “The intruder had a sword and Eddie had only his arms but he fought back valinatenly.” All of them nodded.

“Still, he was struck, injured. He ran then. Up to the west wing.” Stan said. 

“And the man followed him. We wanted to help but-” Bill shrugged. “What could we do? We all hid in here, in Bev as she blocked the door.” 

Richie nodded, understanding. “All of you, you need to get out. They’re burning the castle. If you take the servant’s tunnels you should be okay.”

“And you?” Mike asked. 

“I’m going to help Eddie.” He didn’t know how he could help either but he knew he had to. At least he had legs and could get to the west wing. 

“Stay safe.” Ben said. 

“Save him, please. When you left-” Bill paused, as if unsure if he should say his next words. 

Stan didn’t have the same qualm. “He was beside himself. He regretted the fight. He missed you immediately.” 

Richie nodded. He wasn’t ready to think about that, not yet. First he needed to find Eddie. If they both survived he could worry about their fight. 

“Go now.” He said, urging them towards the door. “I’ll see you when this is all over.”

They nodded, Richie glancing out the door and then hurrying them along. He spared them one final glance before heading to the stairs. The fire was spreading now and smoke made it hard to see. He wished he had a weapon, something, but there was nothing he could grab.

Instinctively, Richie went towards the rose, listening carefully as he walked. For a while he didn’t hear anything outside the cracking of the fire and things collapsing. But then he heard it, that terrible cold voice. 

“Come out Beast. Let’s end this like men.”

Richie ducked behind a pillar, trying to figure out exactly where Henry’s voice was coming from. It only took him a second to realize that it was close, closer than he wanted. As Henry mocked Richie continued to move, trying to stay close but not too close. All he wanted was to rescue Eddie, if he could avoid Henry all the better.

A moment later he heard a groan. Richie rushed towards it, finding Eddie, pinned under a fallen rafter.

“Eddie!” He rushed to him, kneeling beside the man and looking over him. Richie saw when Henry had cut him, dark blood welled under his ribs, matting his fur. Richie didn’t want to think about how bad the injury was. At least Eddie was still breathing. “Are you okay?”

Eddie looked at him with panicked eyes. “You shouldn’t be here. It’s too dangerous.” 

Richie’s hand came up, cupping his cheek. “I couldn’t leave you.” 

“Im so sorry.” Eddie said, raising his own paw to Richie’s cheek. “I was awful. I’m sorry Richie. I understand why you left.”

Richie gave himself a second to lean into the touch. Then pulled back. “Apologize to me later.” He looked at the wood, laying across Eddie’s thighs. “Right now I’m here to help you. I’m going to lift and you move okay?”

Eddie nodded, reluctantly dropping his hand. 

“On three.” Richie said, grabbing the wood as best he could. “One, two-” On three he lifted, barely managing to lift it a few inches. It was enough though. Eddie crawled out, standing up and dusting himself off.

“Are you okay?” Eddie asked as Richie stood, his hands on Richie’s face again, examining him. 

“I should be the one asking you that.” Richie replied, letting Eddie examine him. His hands were warm and comforting, Richie felt safe in them. 

“You’re only here because of me.” Eddie said quietly, those big brown eyes sweeping over Richie. 

“Maybe I came back for Mike.” He joked. He couldn’t say the truth, not yet, not until they were out of danger. Eddie chuckled and Richie wanted to forget everything else, just for a moment. 

Until he heard someone behind them. “ The village reject has fallen in love with the beast. How sweet.”

Richie turned, seeing Henry behind them, brandishing his sword. Richie felt Eddie still then growl. 

“Leave us alone!” Eddie said. “I’ve done nothing to you.”

“But that’s not true. You’ve kept this castle from us. You kidnapped two of our citizens.” Henry’s eyes flashed as the fire roared around them. “Besides, once I kill you I'll be a hero. Everyone in town will love me and I’ll have my pick of who to bring into my bed.” He glanced at Richie. “I may even take you as my prize, a fitting end to all this.”

“No!” Eddie snarled, lunging towards Henry and tackling him. His paws were raised, claws out. “Leave him alone!” Eddie swept a powerful paw down, running his claws over Henry’s shoulder. Richie saw blood appear. 

“Eddie no!” Richie moved in, trying to pull him off. “If you kill him everyone will hate you! They’ll kill you!”

Under Eddie Henry laughed, cold and cruel. “They’ll know you’re really a beast, irredeemable.” 

Eddie growled again and Richie knew he wanted to wipe the smirk off of Henry’s face. He understood that desire all too well. 

“Eddie please, please don’t.” Richie said, still trying to pull him off. Eddie was strong then him though, still growling at Henry as the man looked only amused. 

“Eddie I don’t want to lose you again.” Richie added. 

That seemed to work. Eddie’s shoulders slumped and he stood. “Fine.” Eddie said, moving next to him. “For you.”

“How sweet.” Henry said, standing and brushing himself off. “You two will have the ugliest babies.”

“Leave Henry! You’ve caused enough trouble!” Richie said, feeling Eddie wheezing beside him. Richie remembered his injury, wondered how long Eddie could make it before collapsing. “You’ve destroyed his home and injured him! You can go home and tell everyone you’re a hero.”

Henry’s eyes glinted dangerously. “Not yet. Not without his head!” On the final word he stepped in, thrusting his sword deep into Eddie’s belly. Richie watched in horror as Eddie cried out and fell, collapsing to the ground. Henry raised his sword again, likely to strike the killing blow, but Richie tackled him, the two of them wrestling on the ground. Richie did everything he could think of, biting and scratching Henry. Out of the corner of his eye he looked at Eddie’s form. The man wasn’t moving. Richie wasn’t even sure he was breathing. 

The pause was all Henry needed. He gained the advantage and pinned Richie down, trapping his arms between his legs as he examined Richie. 

“I hoped it wouldn’t come to this.” Henry said, his sword in hand as he cut Richie’s cheek. He felt the blood well up then drip but refused to cry out. “I really did. But I can’t have you defying me. I’ll have to tell everyone that the beast killed you. I tried to save you but he murdered you, cut you into little slices. Your poor parents will be so disappointed.” 

“Henry don’t- you don’t have to-” Richie started but he saw in Henry’s eyes that his decision was already made. There was no talking him out of it. He raised his sword and Richie closed his eyes, refusing to watch this. He hadn’t thought it would end like this, alone in a burning castle but there was no way out. He struggled but it didn’t matter. Henry was far crueler than him, willing to go to lengths that Richie never would. 

Then he felt someone tackle Henry. Richie opened his eyes, seeing Eddie and Henry wrestling besides him. Eddie was bleeding but he was furious, his giant paws landing blow after blow. Richie struggled to his feet, trying to pull Eddie off Henry again. He managed and both of them tumbled back, Eddie landing on Richie as Henry rose to his feet, the fire booming around him.

“You  _ fools _ . Both of you. You could have run, saved yourselves, but instead you stayed here, protecting the other. Now you will both die.” Henry took a step forward, advancing on them but as he did Richie heard a loud crack. The floor underneath Henry was on fire and the support beams were gone. Henry barely had a chance to cry out before he fell. Richie scrambled to his feet, peering into the hole that Henry had collapsed into. He could see Henry there, covered in rubble, his leg at an odd angle. He stared for a long time, making sure that it was really over. 

“Good riddance.” Richie muttered, coughing from all the smoke. A groan from behind him made him glance back. He saw Eddie, still on the floor and coughing. 

“Eddie!” He ran back, scooping the man in his arms. “We need to get you out. Just hold on. It’ll be okay. I promise.” He looked around but it was hard to see anything. The only thing Richie could really make out was the rose. The pedestal it was on had fallen and the rose was on the floor, it’s last pedal drooping, threatening to fall at any moment. Richie gaped at it, trying to make sense of how it had survived this long. 

“Richie no. I can’t-” Eddie broke into a coughing fit. Blood poured from his wounds as he coughed, changing the color of his fur to a darker shade. “Save yourself. I won’t make it.”

Richie shook his head, refusing to admit defeat now. “We’ve won Eddie, I can’t leave without you.” He paused, his bottom lip shaking. “Eddie, I- I-”

“Richie please, please save yourself.” Eddie begged, his brown eyes staring up at Richie, pleading with him.

“I love you.” Richie confessed, pulling him closer. “I love you.” He bent down and pressed his lips to Eddie’s, trying to pour everything into the kiss, everything that he had been too afraid to admit until now. 

When he pulled back he gasped. In his arms was another human, a smaller man with those same brown eyes. 

“Eddie?” He asked quietly. 

The man nodded. “It’s me Richie.” They looked down at Eddie’s torso. Where they had been cuts and bruises it was only clean, unblemished skin. He’d been healed somehow, during the transformation. “You saved me.”

Richie could only nod dumbly, still gaping at the man in his arms. At least until he heard another loud crack and a piece of the ceiling fell beside them. 

“We need to get out.” Eddie said, rising to his feet. He took Richie’s arm, tugging him up. “Follow me.” 

Eddie wove them through the halls, not stopping until they were safe. They didn’t see anyone else, Richie assumed they’d fled when the fire grew too big. Once they were outside Richie watched in horror as more of the castle collapsed, knowing they’d barely made it out. 

Once they were far away Eddie turned to him, cradling Richie’s uncut cheek. “You saved me.” 

“You saved all of us.” Richie heard. He turned, seeing five figures walking towards them and instantly knowing who they were. His friends, Bev, Ben, Bill, Mike and Stan, all human again. He yelled out, running to them as they pulled him into a hug, all thanking him and marvelling at having fingers and arms again. He looked at each of them in turn, taking in Stan’s curls and Ben’s smile. It was amazing to see, how happy they were, how alive. He couldn't help but laugh, caught up in their joy. It took him several minutes to realize that Eddie wasn’t with them. He excused himself, finding the man sitting on a rock and watching the castle.

“You must be freezing.” Richie said, moving as close as he dared. Eddie had on shorts but no shirt and they were too far from the fire for any of its heat to reach them. 

“I’m not. Maybe it’s residual from being a monster for so long.”

“You were never a monster.” Richie said, reaching for Eddie’s hand. “Only a beast.” 

Eddie glanced up at him. “Did you mean it? What you said in there?”

“Would this have happened if I didn’t?” Richie asked, looking down at Eddie’s human hand. It fit so well in his, their fingers interlocking perfectly. 

“No, I suppose not.” Eddie looked down at their hands. “I love you too Richie. I’m sorry for what I said. I was so scared you wanted to leave, that you hated being with me and I- I lashed out.” 

“I hated being caged. I never hated being with you.” 

Eddie nodded, staring at his castle. The fire was starting to die out, not able to burn the rubble that remained. 

“I would like you to stay, once we rebuild. No more rules, no more locks, just us.” Eddie said. “Bring your parents, whoever you want. It’s your decision of course but I hope you’ll consider it.”

Richie already knew his answer. He raised their hands to his lips, kissing Eddie’s knuckles. “I can’t think of anything I’d like more.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yayyyy it's finished! I'd like to think that Went gets along very well with Mike and Bill and Maggie adores Ben and they're all a big weird happy family. 
> 
> Also I think I forgot to mention this but I've been HCing Eddie as a Pomeranian type beast. Very fluffy and furious :P

**Author's Note:**

> My last commission!! That got really out of hand.... (shh)  
> Putting this down for 2 chapters, may stretch to 3


End file.
